On the cross, Jesus overcame evil with good: He didn’t return evil for evil; He didn’t pass on the evil by seeking revenge; He absorbed it (Romans 12:21; 1 Peter 2:23).
The only way we can truly absorb evil—the only way we can forgive—is to “roll it over” on Jesus who deals with it for us in perfect love and justice. To do that is to show love for our enemy because of our desire that he should know the love and forgiveness of Jesus is greater than our desire to wreak vengeance upon him.
It is in these kinds of crisis situations that we learn to forgive, and in learning to forgive we grow in love and appreciation for God’s infinite love displayed in our salvation.
This is the kind of growth that Christ appoints in His church to raise up communities of faith who will incarnate His life as a people who have learned forgiveness by growing in a love that rejoices in God’s forgiveness in Christ.
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